I have received numerous e-mails and comments on the blog from owners of Hyundai Canada vehicles today tipping me off to the fact that Hyundai Canada will be rolling out updates to give 2017 vehicles Apple CarPlay in January. Several of them forwarded an e-mail response from Hyundai Canada which I have printed below:
Thank you for your email on Apple Car Play with Hyundai vehicles.
Hyundai Auto Canada does not have control over what programs are included in the Navigation updates on Canadian vehicles. At present we are aware that the 2016-2017 Elantra GT and Tucson which have onboard Navigation can obtain Apple Car Play and Google Android through the purchase of most current map/software update.
The only vehicle at this time that has factory installed Apple Car Play is the 2017 Tucson.
Please also note that Apple Car Play will be available for retrofit on 2017 vehicles which originally came with Google Android and have 7” or 8” screens in early 2017.
The download will be available on this website (http://www.hyundaicanada.com/pages/Apple-Car-Play/index.aspx) for free.
Now the comments that have been posted on the blog have started to generate some negative reactions from 2016 owners of Hyundai Canada vehicles. This despite the fact that Hyundai Canada has been clear about this upgrade program being for 2017 vehicles. At least at this point in time. It’s also generating negative reaction from Android Auto fans who have been looking for a upgrade to give them that piece of software, and this not doing anything to clear that up. So in the interest of trying to quiet this, I will reach out to Hyundai Canada to see if I can get any sort of clarification that will hopefully calm the waters.
Watch this space for updates.
UPDATE: Here’s a statement from Hyundai Canada. Please read it carefully as it is extremely detailed (and kudos to them for being that detailed):
Three 2017 Hyundai vehicles – Tucson, Sonata (non-hybrid), and Elantra GT – come from the factory with both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. We are working extremely hard and very quickly to deliver a free, online, self-serve update so 2017 model year Elantra Sedan, Santa Fe Sport, and Santa Fe XL customers can have Apple CarPlay on their vehicles. Those three, specific vehicles have been sold this year with only Android Auto. That disparity has to be addressed; it’s our top priority.
For clarity: An update with Apple CarPlay is forthcoming, but only for 2017 Elantra sedan, Santa Fe Sport, and Santa Fe XL vehicles. No other Hyundai vehicles – for any model year – will be receiving a software update with Apple CarPlay in January.
Any decisions about 2016 model year Hyundai vehicles or prior will be made at a later date and we currently do not have a timeline to make that decision. The plan for Hyundai Auto Canada has been to introduce both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for the 2017 model year. The US, with different hardware and software, was able to introduce the applications in Hyundai vehicles earlier than we were. Hyundai in the US made numerous commitments to American customers about making the software available to them and these statements were erroneously picked-up by Canadian media. We have been working to educate Canadian media on the differences between countries and companies the best that we can.
All of our attempts to install Android Auto and Apple CarPlay on 2016 model year and prior Canadian vehicles has led to errors in the navigation/display software and broader incompatibility with display systems. Both the hardware and software on Canadian vehicles is structurally and operationally different than US vehicles. The earliest that Apple and Google could deliver CarPlay and Android Auto (respectively) for Canadian customers is the 2017 model year.
UPDATE #2: Hyundai Canada has launched an update site to allow owners of 2017 model year Elantra Sedan, Santa Fe Sport, and Santa Fe XL cars to get a free update to Apple CarPlay. Details available here.